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It replicated the subdued atmosphere in the town, where the Union flag was lowered to half-mast at public buildings, churches and shops, as the Queen and other members of the Royal Family prepared for her sister's private funeral on Friday afternoon at St George's Chapel, in the grounds of the castle.

The Queen had cut a lone figure as she drove herself to morning service at the private chapel at the Royal Lodge, in Windsor Great Park, where she and her sister had spent much of their childhood.

Accompanied by a solitary royal protection officer, she left Windsor Castle at 11am in a green Jaguar and chose not to take the traditional route down the Long Walk through the Great Park, where several knots of well-wishers had gathered.

Instead, she left by a discreet entrance adjoining the Royal farm to make the short journey to the chapel for the hour-long private service, attended in the absence of other members of the Royal Family by members of the Royal household and estate workers.

It was a poignant moment for the Queen. During her childhood she and Princess Margaret often stayed at Royal Lodge.

More recently, Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother usually stays there on her visits to Windsor. This time, the Queen was on her own.

It was only as she returned through the town centre after the service that the Queen was seen by other residents and visitors.

Marjorie Gorman, 46, an Australian visitor from Brisbane said: "We just wanted to show our respect to her. For anyone to lose a close sister must be devastating. We feel very deeply for the Queen."

The Queen has official engagements which will take her to London but she will return to Windsor for the funeral on Friday, which will take place 50 years after the death of her father, King George V1, who is buried in St George's Chapel, with nine other monarchs.

It has not yet been announced where Princess Margaret will be buried, but it is expected to be in the Royal burial ground at Frogmore House in Windsor Home Park nearby, close to Queen Victoria's mausoleum.

Although the castle remained open to the public, with lines of visitors outside the ticket office mingling with clusters of television crews, there were obvious signs of the Royal mourning ordered by the Queen until the Princess's funeral.

Members of the Royal household wore black ties and military officers on public duties wore black armbands.

Maureen Holt, 35, who had travelled to Windsor with her family for a pre-arranged day out, as she queued to visit the castle, said: "It is a very sad occasion. Everyone feels desperately sad for the Queen at the loss of her sister. They always seemed very close."

She added: "Although Princess Margaret did not get the best of publicity at times, she was admired by many as a very independent person."

Across the town centre, dominated by the imposing towers and battlements of the castle, flags were at half-mast.

Prayers were said for the late Princess at the parish church of St John the Baptist, close to the castle's main entrance, and the lowered Union flag fluttered in the winter sunshine outside the Castle Hotel, Caleys department store and Ye Harte and Garter Hotel.

The flag had also been lowered outside the numerous gift and souvenir shops that thrive on the tourist business the castle and Royal Family bring to Windsor.

Irene Williams, who runs the Glorious Britain souvenir shop opposite the castle, said: "This is a very sad time. Everyone is very sad for the Queen."

She added: "I personally feel that Princess Margaret's life was an entire tragedy. She was never able to marry the man she truly loved. She lived her life full of fun and frivolity."

As she left the shop, Emily Bower, 21, said: "I feel very sorry for the Queen because her jubilee year was supposed to have been one of the happiest of her reign, but her sister has died and her mother is obviously quite ill. It must be a very sad start to the year for her."

Philip Prince, who also runs a gift shop close to the castle, said he would mount a window display in honour of the Princess today. He spent much of yesterday searching through newspapers for a suitable photograph.

While Windsor has embraced many joyous Royal occasions in recent years, including the confirmation service for Prince William and the marriage of the Earl and Countess of Wessex in 1999, it was bracing itself for somewhat different emotions on Friday.